VIDEO: Woman fights off would-be carjacker by jumping on hood

Melissa Smith jumped on the hood of her car to keep a would-be thief from getting away. (Source: CNN)

Smith did not see the would-be car thief right away. (Source: CNN)

(Source: CNN)

While Smith was trying to stop her still rolling vehicle that Cadillac, would-be thief inside, drove away. (Source: CNN)

WAUWATOSA, WI (CNN) -- A Wisconsin woman who was filling her gas tank – minding her own business – found herself fighting off a would-be car thief with some moves worthy of an action movie. And it was all recorded on video.

It happened Tuesday in a town not far from Milwaukee.

"I had the thought in my head, ‘Do I go after my purse or do I stop my car?’ And the price tag of my car flashed through my head,” Melissa Smith explained.

At first, she did not see the Cadillac pull up, nor did she see the thief crouch down and get behind the wheel of her car.

“I saw him get into my car, or [I saw that] someone was in my car, and had my, ‘Oh hell, this isn’t happening to me today,' moment," she said. "He looked at me and laughed at me, which really irritated me.”

Determined to make sure he didn’t get away, Smith jumped on the hood of her car. Apparently just as determined, the thief hit the gas, intent on driving away even though Smith was on the hood.

In the video, you can see the thief slam on the brakes – twice – in an attempt to throw her off the vehicle. She didn’t budge.

"He was laughing while I was on my car and he was trying to throw me off, so zero remorse,” Smith explained.

The thief eventually gave up, jumped out of Smith’s car and scrambled into the backseat of the Cadillac in which he arrived, so she won the battle of wills. Mostly. While Smith was trying to stop her still rolling vehicle that Cadillac, with somebody else behind the wheel, drove away. There were at least two, possibly three, other people in that Caddy.

Smith admits that jumping on the hood was a dangerous move, the consequences of which she didn’t consider until it was all over. It was something she didn't have time to think about. She saw what was happened and acted.

“Which isn't the smartest and safest thing. But it was my, I went with my instinct. Yeah,” she said.

While Smith kept her car, the thief got away with her purse, wallet and iPhone.

Smith said something like this could happen to anyone. Her advice to others? Always lock your car when you get out of it -- even if it's just for a moment or two -- and keep your keys with you.

University of Arizona's assistant basketball coach Emanuel Richardson is among the coaches who have been charged in the corruption scheme.(Source: University of Arizona)

In one of the biggest crackdowns on the corrupting role of money in college basketball, 10 men - including a top Adidas executive and four assistant coaches - were charged Tuesday with using bribes to influence star athletes' choice of schools, shoe sponsors, agents, financial advisers, even tailors.

In one of the biggest crackdowns on the corrupting role of money in college basketball, 10 men - including a top Adidas executive and four assistant coaches - were charged Tuesday with using bribes to influence star athletes' choice of schools, shoe sponsors, agents, financial advisers, even tailors.

Some parents and alumni of a Phoenix school are fuming in the wake of a senior prank they say went too far. And that has others riled up, saying those who are upset are blowing things out of proportion.

Some parents and alumni of a Phoenix school are fuming in the wake of a senior prank they say went too far. And that has others riled up, saying those who are upset are blowing things out of proportion.

Fans from both teams weighed in on the national anthem debate. (Source: 3TV/CBS 5)

Some groan when you bring it up, others are happy to strike up a conversation, but nearly all of the fans at Monday night's Cardinals/Cowboys game have some kind of opinion about players taking a knee during the national anthem.

Some groan when you bring it up, others are happy to strike up a conversation, but nearly all of the fans at Monday night's Cardinals/Cowboys game have some kind of opinion about players taking a knee during the national anthem.